BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) - Many doctors say we’re in one of the peaks of flu season, and some people are getting their flu shots before traveling for the holidays. According to the Jefferson County Department of Health, the number of flu cases this year is slightly lower than it was this time last year.
While health experts don’t know the exact reason behind the dip in cases, JCDH says one factor could be the warmer weather drawing people outside versus them having to hunker down in close quarters inside when it’s cold.
"Certainly, doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods yet. Flu can peak at various times," Dr. Wesley Willeford, JCDH medical director of disease control, said. "One thing that’s been fairly consistent is once we get into December, January, February, those are typically where we’re going to see more cases than we do right now.”
JCDH says the flu is not like a run-of-the-mill cold and can lead to hospitalizations and in some severe cases, death. One of the steps the health department recommends to protect against the flu is a flu shot.
"It’s recommended everyone six months and older," Dr. Willeford said. "Especially for people who are going to be over the age of 60 with multiple medical problems, they’re the ones who really need that vaccine the most because it gives them the most protection from severe complications.”
The flu shot has evolved over the years. Becky Sorrell, a pharmacist at Ritch’s Pharmacy, says the flu shot no longer has the live virus in it and it can now protect against multiple strains.
"This year was unique in that we actually have a Type B variant that has dropped off the map, and that was really good, so now this year we have a tri-valor vaccine," Sorrell said. "What does that do? Allows the other three that are in the vaccine to be in greater volume so better coverage.”
Sorrell says another development has been a shot designed specifically for the older population.
"Normally, the flu shot is a solution, a clear liquid, and after age 60, we just stop absorbing things as quickly as we used to in our muscles so if you change it to a suspension, it hangs around in the muscle a little longer. That gives us more opportunity to make those antibodies," she said. "So the flu-AD or the hi-def flu vaccine, 9 times out of 10 will be a suspension and so it gives us that advantage and so it really has made a difference for a lot of people.”
Jesus Astudillo says he got his flu shot because it was required by work, but he says he doesn’t believe it’s effective in protecting against the virus. He says there are other wellness practices his family uses to stay healthy.
"There’s some precautions you should always be using no matter what season you’re in: washing your hands, not touching things after others and if you do, using some sort of either hand sanitizer or washing your hands," Astudillo said. "It’s precautions we’ve been using since soap was invented.”
Elizabeth Floyd says getting a flu shot used to be something she and her family did annually, but it’s a habit that fell to the wayside. However, after the flu moving through her house over the last few weeks, she says the flu shot may make a return to their family.
"Now, it became where it was out of the habit. We also lived out of the country for several years, that’s not as big of a thing in other countries, so I think it was kind of something that got put on the back burner," she said. "Now that we’ve lived here for I guess about a year, it just hasn’t made it back on the list of things to do.”
Ritch’s Pharmacy says it takes about two weeks to build full immunity from the flu shot but the antibodies start building as soon as you get the vaccine.